What Spec weapon loadout for bike squads?

[tedwin183]

I am going to start running a 6 man bike squad with a PF serg. and I haven't decided what the loadout for the rest of the squad is. I was thinking 2 meltaguns, but I considered a flamer (though I think the twin-linked boltguns will take care of hordes well enough). Thoughts?

[Koremu]

The Problem with Short Biker Squads, much like the problem with short any other squad, is the lack of spare wounds. While T5 can protect you for a while, the simple lack of numbers means that once you lose that one vanilla guy, every loss you take is an expensive model. (65 for a PFist Sgt, 40-50 for the Attack Bike, 30-40 each for the Specialists), especially if the Power Fist and Anti-tank rounds start flying in your direction. You are better off taking some extra bikers.

 

Personally I would use 2 Meltaguns and a Heavy Bolter, as it's a decent weapon spread, allows you to combat squad sensibly (Sgt, Meltaguns and 2 spares in a tank hunter squad, Attack Bike and 3 spares for anti-infantry) or go for the full unit in the right circumstances.

[Vissah]

I use 8 Bikers with Melta's and I also got a list were I attach an Attack Bike with Multi Melta.

I used 6 Bikers but that is jsut to short numbers upgrade them to atleast 8 men before putting expensive weapons on them.

[Bosco]

Personally I am a fan of flamers as the upgrade weapons on the bikes with a multi-melta attack bike to deal with vehicles. A 12" movement coupled with a flamer is a huge improvement over a footslogging one, same goes for the multi-melta. I agree about needing additional wounds for long term use, but the smaller squad will have an easier time taking advantage of limited cover and provides a smaller footprint for template/blast weapons. Personally, I prefer to give my biker sgt a combi-melta to backup the multi-melta, as well as to allow the squad to split and hunt both kinds of target with versatility.

 

Good luck

[tedwin183]

See, I am thinking the smaller squad will be fine. I still have a bike command squad in my list that I know will be top priority for most opponents. Khan+command squad all on bikes = fairly scary. I have been considering the single flamer in the squad as opposed to the 2 meltaguns. It might be too much of a points sink.

[brgerkng]

In my bike heavy lists I run 2 different setups. A squad with 5 bikes, 2 melta guns and a multi-melta attack bike, and a squad of 6 bikes with 2 plasmaguns. For 1850 games I run 2 of the melta squads, and 1 of the plasma squads that will ride with my captain for the most part. Now consider that for a similar amount of points I could just run 2 maximum sized squads, one having plasma, the other with meltaguns and both having multi melta attack bikes.

 

By having the smaller squads each of the individual squads are frailer, but I have one more squad, more special weapons, can hide and maneuver my units better, and if one of my units gets assaulted, I don't lose as much.

[tedwin183]

I have 30 points extra to work with. I was considering running a razorback as a normal rhino, giving me 5 points more and then losing the 2 meltaguns to add 20 more for 55 points, then running the squad as 6 bikes with a PF serg, 1 flamer and a MM attack bike. I could also go with a 6 man squad with PF serg, 1 flamer, 1 meltagun and an attack bike with HB. any opinions on this?

[ShinyRhino]

I always run my bike squads at the max 8, plus attack bike with multimelta. When I combat squad, I send the two meltaguns, a couple normals, and the attack bike in one combat squad, and then the sergeant (with power weapon and meltabombs) and four normals in the other. This makes a nice anti-tank squad, and a tarpit squad that can attack vehicles with grenades if needed.

 

If you prefer you can go with a heavy bolter attack bike, send it off with four normals, and it's a nice anti-infantry squad. The meltaguns and the sergeant go tank hunting or TEQ hunting.